Hello and welcome to my wiki page. This page is the product of a semester-long course at The Citadel Graduate College in Charleston, SC. This wiki profiles experimental education technology projects completed throughout the semester. The page begins with a biography of myself and my teaching philosophy. Next, you will find each project listed chronologically as it was assigned. Following each assignment, except for the literature review, you will find a reflection. These reflections aim to make a connection between the reading assignments which focused on the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAM-R) teaching model for educational technology; the 4 C's of technology, as outlined by the National Education Association (NEA), which are critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity; and the brain-based research discussed in Mind's Online by Michelle D. Miller.
Biography and Philosophy
The beginning…
I have an undergraduate degree in Language and Literature from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. St. Mary’s is a liberal arts college located in historic St. Mary’s City on the St. Mary’s River. This college is probably one of those beautiful colleges in the country. Challenged by freedom, I was not the most exemplary student. It took me some time to get my degree. I eventually pushed through and graduated with over a 3.0. Keep in mind my freshman year GPA was anything but stellar. A couple of semesters with a 4.0 turned things around. After graduating, I roamed around a bit. I enjoyed many jobs. And then…I met my husband. We married after six months and started a family after a couple of years. My family became, and still is, the focus of my life. I chose to stay home with my babies. I am really glad I did. Those little monkeys are almost grown now and I am ready to pursue my joy as an educator of young adults.
It’s in my blood…
This is my dad: John M. Scott. He was a vocational education teacher in St. Mary’s County, Maryland for almost 20 years after retiring from a 22-year Naval Career. He was a natural with teenagers. For all of the qualms I may have about him as a father, his students adored him. He was instrumental in the lives of many students who went on to build successful careers because of his tutelage. He had a very rough start in life, but it enabled him to understand the needs of adolescents.
I resisted the idea to teach because I resisted the idea of getting permission to do something that I innately understood how to do. I tried many backdoor approaches to getting a teaching position. Sometimes the maturity process takes awhile. After trying to sneak in the backdoor of education, I decided to get my masters. I am am very glad that I did.
My philosophy...
As a future English teacher, my personal philosophy of education is naturally very eclectic. I like to think of my philosophical approach to education as a recipe that contains the following: one cup of Realism, one cup of Existentialism, ½ cup of Post-modernism, and two tablespoons of Pragmatism to be used as a binder. Mix all of these ingredients together in a bowl constructed of Idealism. This is English Class Laboratory. My classroom will be a warm, inviting, comfortable and literacy-rich environment. Students will have access to a variety of reading material which will include many levels and interests. Reading material will be updated, as needed, to meet the needs of the students. The walls will be organized with information pertaining to clear and concise classroom expectations, school policies, English reference material, and student work. Ample supplies will be available for all students. Desks will be arranged to accommodate ease of movement. Desk organization will also be changed from time-to-time to incorporate different teaching strategies. One of the roles of the English teacher is to be open-minded and accessible to new ideas so that all students, regardless of background, can be taught in an environment that best suits their needs. This type of idealistic thinking removes barriers which could inhibit student achievement and growth. From this view, we can introduce more practical ways to impart knowledge to students. However, if we begin with rigid ideas, learning cannot take place because student motivation suffers. All children deserve to be understood. Once educators understand the child’s viewpoint and needs, pragmatic approaches to learning can be introduced. This idea is important to me because in my experiences with at-risk students, I have discovered that in many instances learning occurs when the students feel valued. Additionally, not only is the role of the teacher to educate all students, but the role is also to work cooperatively with peers, parents, and other educators. We can make the idealistic assumption that all people want to be happy. The end goal of education is the pursuit of happiness and peace. Towards this pursuit, students will continue to learn the how to effectively read, write, speak, listen, and study. Study skills are extremely important because they organize and transfer information into long-term memory. In my experience with students, I have discovered that many children do not understand the importance or mechanics of studying. In my classroom, I would provide opportunities for students to understand how studying affects the brain in hopes that they could experience personal success based on this discovery. In fact, in all areas of instruction, I would provide ample opportunities for students to experience success. I would begin the year with very accessible easy-to-learn and curriculum-based instruction to boost student self-esteem. Gradually, the level of difficulty would increase throughout the year. I would teach students how to read effectively by providing reading material that is interesting. Naturally, all students are not going to be interested in the same material. I will rely heavily on student choice when I am allowed to deviate. When humans have choice they tend to enjoy themselves. Enjoyment leads to wanting more. I would model critical reading for the students; as I would model everything that I expected them to master. I would assess their mastery before I allowed them to work independently or in groups. Students would learn how to write effectively for audience. Copious amounts of feedback would be given without grades to promote a safe learning environment. Exploration without grades would “stimulate an intense awareness in each student of ultimate responsibility for his or her own education and self definition.” (Ornstein, Levine, Gutek, & Vocke, 2014) Once the student is comfortable with feedback, grades would be introduced. Concurrently, critical thinking, reading, and communication skills would be taught during the writing process. Reflection by both the teacher and the student would happen at intervals to stimulate growth of the individual and the group. This process would teach the student how to reflect by example and also assess student performance in a cooperative learning environment. These skills would assist the student in successfully navigate the world. The curriculum taught in the classroom would ideally come from a group of experienced teachers and educational psychologists who have a wide range of knowledge about diverse learners. The English curriculum should include reading, writing, speaking, and listening standards designed to prepare students to become self-sufficient and productive members of society. Because of the literacy-dense world we live in, the curriculum should include standards which focus strongly on developing writing skills. It is now common knowledge in the educating world that today’s schools are not producing strong writers. The job market is demanding a workforce that is extremely literate. As an English teacher, I will constantly focus on assisting students to become effective communicators and analyzers. A good lesson plan always differentiates. Many students in this class probably operate at different levels. Differentiating instruction by offering oral, auditory, sensory, and kinesthetic options would touch all learners. Offering reading material for many levels and interests would soften the barrier between “too difficult” and “not difficult enough.” Proper assessment should be done to ascertain skill levels of all learners before practical application could be incorporated into the lesson plans. Once that information is discovered, individual instruction time could be tailored to meet the needs of the student. Frequent assessment will take place in the beginning of the year to make sure the work is neither too hard nor too difficult. Adjustments will be made as needed. Homogeneous classroom management does not generally work in today’s society. Classroom management begins with clarity of instruction and developing personal relationships with the students. All classrooms are different due to the nature of demographics. However, a basic foundation or template can be constructed to fit any demographic. As a community of learners, the students and I would begin by creating and signing a shared social contract in each class. This creates ownership and citizenship in the classroom for the students and the teacher. Since the students define their own rules as created in the classroom via the social contract, aberrant behavior may lessen over time. High School English class should be a safe place where young adults can try out new ideas challenging themselves, their fellow classmates, and their teachers. The process of reading classic literature and reflecting on it through writing is the perfect place to develop maturity of thought. English class should be a rich environment where old ideas can be compared to new ideas. This process should be thoughtfully guided by the teacher. This eclectic approach to teaching is dynamic, especially as it relates to the study of literature and writing. Even though Pragmatism is in opposition to many of the practices aforementioned, I believe it can be woven through all approaches. Each student is an individual and will experience success by being exposed to different approaches. Classrooms and schools are not vacuums, but chaotic laboratories of experimentation with foundation.
Prezi
My Prezi serves as an introduction to Elie Wiesel’s Night and also as a project example for an upcoming assignment. Night is taught to all ninth graders in Dorchester District 2 schools. The intended audience is College Prep Freshman. I wanted to keep it as simple and engaging as possible because the text is quite sophisticated for a 14-year-old. Technically, the Prezi took more time to create then I thought it would. This is my virgin tour on the high seas of Prezi. Creating the Prezi was not difficult. I mapped out my plan on a white board before I actually began construction. The presentation is intended to create interest and provide enough background information to the students so they will not feel lost when reading the text. This Prezi is a tool for me to use during a lecture. It may be able to stand alone. However, that is not the intent. I will actually use it twice: once to introduce the book and once as a project sample. The challenges that I encountered during my endeavor were as follows:
Editing pathways – As I went back to preview the Prezi, many of the pathways did not flow the way I thought I created them. This problem was easily rectified.
Inability to interrupt background music with embedded video – I wanted music playing through the whole presentation unless I had an embedded video. I could not do both, so I deleted the video.
Distractions – As I researched and grabbed images and information from the web, I became very distracted. I found myself exploring every little rabbit hole.
Reflection
Offering the students a Prezi instead of a PowerPoint will stimulate the students cognitive activity. PowerPoint presentations can be effective tools. Unfortunately, PowerPoint presentations may contribute to memory blindness because the students are numb to this overused application. PowerPoint is often used to deliver guided notes. The students are given worksheets which outline a particular topic. These notes contain blank spaces to be completed by the student. The PowerPoint reveals the words that should be written in the blanks. A Prezi stimulates the interest of the student which leads to information retention. When the tool is put into the hands of the student, the learning experience is modified by technology. Most of the PowerPoint presentations that I have seen in the classroom are substitutes for an activity that could be accomplished without technology. I believe that issues of trust and security explain why students cling to guided notes and why teachers fear trying something new.
Culminating Video Assignment for Elie Wiesel’s Night
My Process
This project is a culminating assignment for a unit covering Elie Wiesel’s Night. The students have finished reading the book and have demonstrated mastery of the subject. This assignment attempts to leave the students with an understanding that creating essential questions strengthens their ability to think critically. I created a video about Moshe the Beadle, an essential character to the comprehension of Night. This video offers both a linguistic and non-linguistic representation of Moshe the Beadle’s function in the story. The video asks a question pertaining to what makes something believable. No answers are offered because I want the students to construct answers on their own and also ask more questions. This book lends itself to this idea because the entire book is a question about faith in God. The video also serves a work sample for the students. This is a multi-layered experience for the student. It would be virtually impossible for students not to experience some sort of metacognitive brain activity. I know this from creating the video. I experienced an infinite thought process in which creating questions led to the creation of even more questions. After the students watch the video, they will answer the essential question “Why didn’t the people of Sighet believe what Moshe the Beadle told them about the concentration camps, yet an entire population believed the Nazi propaganda?” The students will create three of their own questions relating to the video. However, I did give the option to create more general questions from the entire novel. I did this to differentiate the lesson. Most likely, not all students will operate on the same level. Students will take their three questions and collaborate in small groups of three. They will discuss and process answers for all questions, eventually picking one. This one question will be the basis for a video that they will create, present, and publish. I assigned the creation of a video to the students because I wanted them to develop an intimate relationship to the story through their own meta-cognitive process. I hope to share the video with another classroom outside of South Carolina. This virtual activity would be a celebration. This entire process will take more than a week. A few lessons on video editing and copyright law will be essential. An example of the assignment is below.
Reflection
This assignment incorporated the 4 Cs (critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication) of technology at the level of Redefinition in the SAM-R model. (Creating a video to answer questions redefines the use of technology in the classroom.) After the assignment was developed, I realized how the student's interaction with technology, which began with the previous Prezi assignment, was so complete. Even a student who is only minimally engaged in this task can benefit from the boost of neural activity which will naturally occur due to the richness of the assignment. Because the students are working collaboratively, they are exposed to the thought processes of their peers. This exposure is a mental exercise that helps develop critical thinking skills. How do you measure this growth? The growth is measured by the quality of the question. With this in mind, it will be important to retool this assignment with lessons that teach the student how to create and critique questions.
Whole-Class Yearlong Editing Practice
This exercise is a yearlong activity in which the students collect writing samples and display them on the Smart Board. Each available Friday, one student will present his or her samples. Students can display their samples and show corrections or invite other students to the board to make corrections. Students may use any technology that is compatible with the equipment in the classroom. For my example, I took screen shots of actual texts from my phone and copied them into a word document.
Reflection
Communication, fun, and practice are the key elements to the success of this assignment. Using everyday communication to demonstrate how to edit will invest the student in the process. Allowing the students to see my personnel communication creates an intimate connection between the student and teacher. This connection may motivate students to improve their writing skills. Students will see that the teacher is not perfect and not afraid to make mistakes. Sometimes, if you become the fool, others will feel more comfortable taking chances.
From Freshman to Senior: Four Years of Growth and Change
“You need not be sorry for her. She was one of the kind that likes to grow up. In the end she grew up of her own free will a day quicker than the other girls.”― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
The passage of time affects all of us throughout our lives. This project focuses on the change experienced by students as they find their way through the four years of high school. This undertaking attempts to historically document the meaning of progressing from an adolescent to a young adult. All students at Ashley Ridge High School are required to watch a PowerPoint presentation entitled High School 101. (Please see below for an example of a High School 101 presentation.) High School 101 provides essential information to all students at the beginning of the year. In order to enrich this important instruction, I have created an oral history project that intends to strengthen this instruction by creating relationships between freshman and seniors. The project heavily incorporates the English 1 Honors standards. This project begins during the first nine weeks and culminates right before Christmas break. Each freshman enrolled in Honors English is assigned a senior who is vetted by English IV and V teachers via a questionnaire for his or her interviewee. Freshman will briefly meet their interviewees during Individual Learning Time (ILT) during the first week of September. [Note - ILT is a structured study hall.] Prior to this meeting, students are introduced to oral history and the interview process. After the interviewer and interviewee have met, in-depth instruction will take place. This instruction is enriched by meeting the interviewee beforehand. Once the students have demonstrated mastery of the subject,each student will create a questionnaire for their interviewee. I have not decided whether I should assign the questions before or after they have received instruction about how to conduct an interview. I may talk to the students briefly about the interview process before assigning the questions. After the students conference in groups, I will provide more in-depth instruction about interviewing. This way the students will have experienced thinking about interviewing. (Part of the instruction involves watching videos of oral histories.) The questionnaires are delivered to the seniors once they have been graded and approved. A deadline is assigned to the seniors for their completion of the survey. The freshman will collect and review the questionnaires and interview times will be assigned. In the interim, freshmen are instructed on how to and practice video interviewing techniques. A small studio will be created in the back of the classroom for after-school interviews. Approximately 30 one-hour interviews will take place during October and November. All students will transcribe five minutes of video. Students will edit their own videos during specified class time. Students will then have the option to enter their videos for consideration to be included in the High School 101 presentation for Ashley Ridge. Once interviewing begins, the amount of classroom time dedicated to the oral history project will decrease. At least once a week, class will take place the computer lab. Students can also access all computer labs during ILT. The culminating activity is a formal screening of the top videos during an evening presentation. All ARHS parents and faculty will be invited to what hopefully becomes a yearly tradition at ARHS. All oral histories are kept on file in the school library.
This assignment was created in the spirit of the Oral History Project that Dr. Maxwell, Associate Professor of English from The Citadel, assigns to her undergraduate students. The reason I was able to create this assignment was largely due to the passion she demonstrated when explaining how important the project was to her. Her passion compelled me to respect this project. I was able to validate the idea that expressing passion to your students can motivate them to work beyond their potential. I was also able to validate the belief that passion in the classroom reinforces instruction. This is a meaningful assignment because it becomes part of the school's historical record. Collaboration is the primary focus of this work. Video redefines the learning environment. Students must think creatively and problem-solve to discover how to manage this project. Even though the students receive a great deal of direction, the teacher can not really control how the relationship between the freshman and senior unfolds.
What to do with a wiki: Grammar, Writing, and Flipping, of Course
For my wiki, I am pretending to be a ninth-grade English Honors teacher at Ashley Ridge High School. This page is a grammar and writing laboratory. The page I created is incomplete for a whole year of teaching. For now, the page contains links, examples, and assignments for grammar and MLA formatting. Students will receive lessons prior to attempting wiki assignments. I will provide students with video examples. (I have created one video example on the wiki English I Honors.) Practicing small bits of grammar and writing every day helps the students retain information. Every Friday, we will review the grammar portion of the wiki. I am directing the students to write their sentences as you would tell a story around a campfire. This is a great team-building exercise. This platform also fosters motivation and friendly competition. Serving as a repository for all writing endeavors, this space is the required place to post notes, reference material, drafts and final papers. I will eventually include rubrics for writing assignments and information on grading. In a way, this wiki is similar to the Makerspace referenced in Minds Online. From a logistical perspective, the wiki is a fantastic way to organize student work. I will never have to worry about losing papers. For students that have limited access, they can use the library at their school or in their neighborhood. They will not have to worry about losing work, either. Eventually, I plan to link Google Drive to the wiki for the purposes of online quizzes. Creating a wiki is easy and complex. Creating a blueprint for exactly what you want to accomplish is essential and time-consuming. Your wiki will never be complete. It is an animal that will evolve as you evolve and change to accommodate the kind of learners you encounter from year-to-year. The wiki should evolve as technology evolves. I am a proponent of the Flipped Classroom methodology. Using a wiki can give students unlimited access to all information before, during and after class. The classroom becomes a workshop where the teacher can actually spend more time assisting students then lecturing to them. English 1 Honors
Reflection
This technology application is at the modification level. Initially, I thought that this activity was simply augmenting an activity that could be accomplished without technology. However, once I reviewed examples of modified instruction using technology, I realized that modification is the line that exists between substitution and augmentation. Because the students are creating a story with their combined complex sentences, students are both author and audience. This experience of writing has more dimension to it because students are responding to other students. If this activity were attempted without technology, it would not flow as well. Students also have more think-time when interacting with a wiki.
Literature Blog
I created a literature blog for my imaginary English 1 Honors students. We will read at least four large pieces of literature during the year. The purpose of the blog is as follows:
Implement Inquiry-based Literacy Standards
Monitor student progress
Evaluate student understanding
Team building
Centralize student input for the purpose of sharing knowledge, insights, and opinions
Provide transparency for other educators and parents
Students are required to post a response to a teacher created topic once a week. Students are encouraged to read all posts and use this knowledge to help create a fuller understanding of the texts. Throughout the year, each student creates their own original topic post for other students to respond to. Each student will do this at least once, depending upon the size of the class.
Creating a blog takes time. I attempted to create blogs on Edublogs and Weebly. Initially, I felt Edublogs had too many options and switched over to Weebly. I wasn’t satisfied with Weebly because it felt more like a commerce site than and educator’s blog. I switched back to Edublogs. My biggest concern with the blog is controlling content. On sites like Kidsblog, teachers seem to have more monitoring abilities. However, there is a forty-four-dollar yearly price tag. This really isn’t too pricey, especially when you are getting peace of mind. Literature Blog
Reflection
I discovered the limitations of free applications when I revisited this blog to investigate how students could interact with the site. I am often distracted by dazzle. If I paid the low price of $7.95/month, I could upgrade this site to allow each student to have their own blog. In the near future, I will investigate Google's free blog platform. Allowing the students to have their own blog is allowing them to partially direct their own learning experience. Blogging could be way for students to collaborate with others from across the country. This experience could redefine they way students interact with literature. However, it is important to consider the SAM-R model when using digital tools. A blog has the potential to be static and flat. I would caution anyone incorporating new technology into their classrooms to deeply ponder how the technology will be used.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy
Students’ Playful Tactics: Teaching at the Intersection of New Media and the Official Curriculum
March 2015
by Julie Rust Summary
Navigating the adolescent identity is a necessary focus when teaching high school English. Coupling identity with social media in the classroom is a tremendous responsibility. Julia Rust, Associate Professor of Education at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, writes a compelling article about her study with students using social media in an American Literature I and an English 10 Honors Class. She collaborated with a teacher from another school using Ning, an online social networking platform. Rust performed an analysis of 22 students during and after spending one semester co-teaching and interacting with students using the Ning platform.
Before she began her investigation, Rust carefully considered the role of identity, authority, power, and control in the developing adolescent. Based on the work of Michel de Certeau, Rust incorporated the definitions of strategies and tactics as they relate to society. Certeau distinguishes strategies and tactics in the following manner: “Strategies originate from subjects with power to create and produce socially established places and norms…tactics originate from those without traditional power.” The teacher generally uses strategies in the classroom, while the student uses tactics to gain autonomy. With this knowledge, Rust observed the students using tactics, which emanated from their struggles with finding identity, to recreate the online platform that the teacher had initially shaped. Rust discovered that there were subtle differences between acceptable and unacceptable commentary from the students. Rust also discovered how easily students can become a mob. For instance, while independently viewing A Streetcar Named Desire, one student commented on the nefarious behavior of Blanch DuBois. Other students quickly chimed-in with comments that would be interpreted as bullying and unprofessional.
Rust concluded that the traditional roles of teachers being strategical and students being tactical should be reexamined. Teachers should not jump to conclusions about student commentary. If a student refers to Blanche DuBois as being “thirsty,” we do need to realize that this may be an accurate description. As teachers, we need to direct student communication with questions and professional and friendly observations concerning their contributions. This is an excellent opportunity to teach digital responsibility and grow 21st century learners while maintaining the curriculum.
Contribution
Digital technology is not going anywhere. The social education of our students is extremely important. The English classroom has always provided a space where students can safely navigate the emergence of identity while reacting to literature. However, now we are moving at five-million miles an hour and education must keep up. There is a feeling among some that we need to slow down and “go back to basics.” While there is some truth in that, we can’t put blinders on and pretend our student’s lives are not being shaped by their digital presence. Rust offers concrete and practical solutions to the problems teachers may face when incorporating social media in their classroom. We have an opportunity to teach online social responsibility and empathy. These lessons easily fit into the English curriculum and actually provide a bridge of relevance between classic literature and social media.
Editing and Revising Student Essay Using Voice Recording Technology
The idea of grading more than 100 student essays is daunting. At this very moment in time, there is no way to get around the move toward large classroom sizes. Many high school teachers have expressed concern that they were not able to offer their students motivation, because they themselves were overwhelmed by the grading task. As a result, many students are not experiencing the necessary conditions to help them build confidence as writers. Over a year ago, I was motivated by a teacher who was frustrated with this very topic. I found an article called "When I Stopped Writing on Their Papers: Accommodating the Needs of Student Writers with Audio Comments" by Sara Bauer. She stumbled upon the idea of recording comments on her phone because she was feeling cozy on her couch while reading student essays. She discovered a way to recreate the intimate setting of face-to-face conferencing, a difficult scheduling task with her current student load. The students’ reactions were encouraging because each student felt an intimate connection with their teacher by hearing her voice. She was talking to them. I experimented with many ways to comment on student papers. Google Chrome actually allows you to record your comments, but they are typed into the paper. I can see how this would be a great time-saver. I think if you are focusing on specific grammatical skills, seeing the comments in writing versus recording would make more sense. Having the ability to record your comments, instead of writing or typing them would save time. If you are focusing on revising, I believe the audio comments may be a better choice. Audio comments can be recorded on your phone and emailed to your students. Each audio comment is numbered. The corresponding number is written on the paper. The student can listen to comments from their phone or computer as they reread their paper. Since the Bauer article was written, the company Kaizena has formed. Kaizena, according to the company’s website, Kaizena means “a Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement.” Students papers are embedded with video or voice recordings that appear on the side of the page. Here is an example of what a page may look like. Note: For my study, I signed-up for a trial version of the software. At the time of editing this page, the trial expired and my personal example cannot be accessed. Kaizena improved upon Bauer's use of voice-recorded comments because all the elements of the process are housed in one place. You can also sync Kaizena with Google Classroom. No one has to leave the sandbox to play. Large numbers of students can experience a virtual writing conference with the teacher. Students can access the material from their home, phone, classroom, or library. The disadvantages of the program are access, power outages, and loss of connection. I would always have a backup plan.
I adore this technology. Nothing can replace the intimacy of the human voice. This application redefines how technology is implemented in the classroom by allowing a teacher to talk to each student. Interestingly, technology in this case humanizes the classroom experience. Kaizena is an example of how technology can evolve to digitally recreate a human experience.
How I Improved My Wiki Assignment
My wiki assignment is far from completion or perfection. I chose this assignment because, quite honestly, it was my lowest grade. I corrected the technical problems associated with not being able to access my link. The devil is in the details. When dealing with technology, access is paramount. Your beautiful flower does not exist if no one can see it. (Or perhaps, your flower is not useful if no one can find it…anyone can imagine.)
What I discovered by slightly retooling my wiki project, is that the wiki is much more comprehensive and useful than what I was using it for. Initially, I thought I would use it only for grammar. I threw in a little bit about writing, but I didn't stop to carefully consider how the wiki could house absolutely everything I may need for an English class. As I worked on my wiki, I kept thinking of other additions I could incorporate. Honestly, building a useful wiki will take months.
I cannot emphasize enough how the wiki is one of the easiest places to begin flipping a classroom. Flipped classrooms are the future of education. We are too connected to each other digitally to ignore the advantages of a flipped classroom. Using a wiki to get your little toes flipped, is a great way to ease yourself into the process.
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to my wiki page. This page is the product of a semester-long course at The Citadel Graduate College in Charleston, SC. This wiki profiles experimental education technology projects completed throughout the semester. The page begins with a biography of myself and my teaching philosophy. Next, you will find each project listed chronologically as it was assigned. Following each assignment, except for the literature review, you will find a reflection. These reflections aim to make a connection between the reading assignments which focused on the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAM-R) teaching model for educational technology; the 4 C's of technology, as outlined by the National Education Association (NEA), which are critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity; and the brain-based research discussed in Mind's Online by Michelle D. Miller.
Biography and Philosophy
The beginning…
I have an undergraduate degree in Language and Literature from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. St. Mary’s is a liberal arts college located in historic St. Mary’s City on the St. Mary’s River. This college is probably one of those beautiful colleges in the country.
Challenged by freedom, I was not the most exemplary student. It took me some time to get my degree. I eventually pushed through and graduated with over a 3.0. Keep in mind my freshman year GPA was anything but stellar. A couple of semesters with a 4.0 turned things around.
After graduating, I roamed around a bit. I enjoyed many jobs. And then…I met my husband. We married after six months and started a family after a couple of years. My family became, and still is, the focus of my life. I chose to stay home with my babies. I am really glad I did. Those little monkeys are almost grown now and I am ready to pursue my joy as an educator of young adults.
It’s in my blood…
I resisted the idea to teach because I resisted the idea of getting permission to do something that I innately understood how to do. I tried many backdoor approaches to getting a teaching position. Sometimes the maturity process takes awhile. After trying to sneak in the backdoor of education, I decided to get my masters. I am am very glad that I did.
My philosophy...
As a future English teacher, my personal philosophy of education is naturally very eclectic. I like to think of my philosophical approach to education as a recipe that contains the following: one cup of Realism, one cup of Existentialism, ½ cup of Post-modernism, and two tablespoons of Pragmatism to be used as a binder. Mix all of these ingredients together in a bowl constructed of Idealism. This is English Class Laboratory.
My classroom will be a warm, inviting, comfortable and literacy-rich environment. Students will have access to a variety of reading material which will include many levels and interests. Reading material will be updated, as needed, to meet the needs of the students. The walls will be organized with information pertaining to clear and concise classroom expectations, school policies, English reference material, and student work. Ample supplies will be available for all students. Desks will be arranged to accommodate ease of movement. Desk organization will also be changed from time-to-time to incorporate different teaching strategies.
One of the roles of the English teacher is to be open-minded and accessible to new ideas so that all students, regardless of background, can be taught in an environment that best suits their needs. This type of idealistic thinking removes barriers which could inhibit student achievement and growth. From this view, we can introduce more practical ways to impart knowledge to students. However, if we begin with rigid ideas, learning cannot take place because student motivation suffers. All children deserve to be understood. Once educators understand the child’s viewpoint and needs, pragmatic approaches to learning can be introduced. This idea is important to me because in my experiences with at-risk students, I have discovered that in many instances learning occurs when the students feel valued. Additionally, not only is the role of the teacher to educate all students, but the role is also to work cooperatively with peers, parents, and other educators. We can make the idealistic assumption that all people want to be happy. The end goal of education is the pursuit of happiness and peace.
Students would learn how to write effectively for audience. Copious amounts of feedback would be given without grades to promote a safe learning environment. Exploration without grades would “stimulate an intense awareness in each student of ultimate responsibility for his or her own education and self definition.” (Ornstein, Levine, Gutek, & Vocke, 2014) Once the student is comfortable with feedback, grades would be introduced. Concurrently, critical thinking, reading, and communication skills would be taught during the writing process. Reflection by both the teacher and the student would happen at intervals to stimulate growth of the individual and the group. This process would teach the student how to reflect by example and also assess student performance in a cooperative learning environment. These skills would assist the student in successfully navigate the world.
The curriculum taught in the classroom would ideally come from a group of experienced teachers and educational psychologists who have a wide range of knowledge about diverse learners. The English curriculum should include reading, writing, speaking, and listening standards designed to prepare students to become self-sufficient and productive members of society. Because of the literacy-dense world we live in, the curriculum should include standards which focus strongly on developing writing skills. It is now common knowledge in the educating world that today’s schools are not producing strong writers. The job market is demanding a workforce that is extremely literate. As an English teacher, I will constantly focus on assisting students to become effective communicators and analyzers.
A good lesson plan always differentiates. Many students in this class probably operate at different levels. Differentiating instruction by offering oral, auditory, sensory, and kinesthetic options would touch all learners. Offering reading material for many levels and interests would soften the barrier between “too difficult” and “not difficult enough.” Proper assessment should be done to ascertain skill levels of all learners before practical application could be incorporated into the lesson plans. Once that information is discovered, individual instruction time could be tailored to meet the needs of the student. Frequent assessment will take place in the beginning of the year to make sure the work is neither too hard nor too difficult. Adjustments will be made as needed.
Homogeneous classroom management does not generally work in today’s society. Classroom management begins with clarity of instruction and developing personal relationships with the students. All classrooms are different due to the nature of demographics. However, a basic foundation or template can be constructed to fit any demographic. As a community of learners, the students and I would begin by creating and signing a shared social contract in each class. This creates ownership and citizenship in the classroom for the students and the teacher. Since the students define their own rules as created in the classroom via the social contract, aberrant behavior may lessen over time.
High School English class should be a safe place where young adults can try out new ideas challenging themselves, their fellow classmates, and their teachers. The process of reading classic literature and reflecting on it through writing is the perfect place to develop maturity of thought. English class should be a rich environment where old ideas can be compared to new ideas. This process should be thoughtfully guided by the teacher.
This eclectic approach to teaching is dynamic, especially as it relates to the study of literature and writing. Even though Pragmatism is in opposition to many of the practices aforementioned, I believe it can be woven through all approaches. Each student is an individual and will experience success by being exposed to different approaches. Classrooms and schools are not vacuums, but chaotic laboratories of experimentation with foundation.
Prezi
My Prezi serves as an introduction to Elie Wiesel’s Night and also as a project example for an upcoming assignment. Night is taught to all ninth graders in Dorchester District 2 schools. The intended audience is College Prep Freshman. I wanted to keep it as simple and engaging as possible because the text is quite sophisticated for a 14-year-old. Technically, the Prezi took more time to create then I thought it would. This is my virgin tour on the high seas of Prezi.
Creating the Prezi was not difficult. I mapped out my plan on a white board before I actually began construction. The presentation is intended to create interest and provide enough background information to the students so they will not feel lost when reading the text. This Prezi is a tool for me to use during a lecture. It may be able to stand alone. However, that is not the intent. I will actually use it twice: once to introduce the book and once as a project sample.
The challenges that I encountered during my endeavor were as follows:
Reflection
Offering the students a Prezi instead of a PowerPoint will stimulate the students cognitive activity. PowerPoint presentations can be effective tools. Unfortunately, PowerPoint presentations may contribute to memory blindness because the students are numb to this overused application. PowerPoint is often used to deliver guided notes. The students are given worksheets which outline a particular topic. These notes contain blank spaces to be completed by the student. The PowerPoint reveals the words that should be written in the blanks. A Prezi stimulates the interest of the student which leads to information retention. When the tool is put into the hands of the student, the learning experience is modified by technology. Most of the PowerPoint presentations that I have seen in the classroom are substitutes for an activity that could be accomplished without technology. I believe that issues of trust and security explain why students cling to guided notes and why teachers fear trying something new.
Culminating Video Assignment for Elie Wiesel’s Night
My Process
This project is a culminating assignment for a unit covering Elie Wiesel’s Night. The students have finished reading the book and have demonstrated mastery of the subject. This assignment attempts to leave the students with an understanding that creating essential questions strengthens their ability to think critically. I created a video about Moshe the Beadle, an essential character to the comprehension of Night. This video offers both a linguistic and non-linguistic representation of Moshe the Beadle’s function in the story. The video asks a question pertaining to what makes something believable. No answers are offered because I want the students to construct answers on their own and also ask more questions. This book lends itself to this idea because the entire book is a question about faith in God.
The video also serves a work sample for the students. This is a multi-layered experience for the student. It would be virtually impossible for students not to experience some sort of metacognitive brain activity. I know this from creating the video. I experienced an infinite thought process in which creating questions led to the creation of even more questions.
After the students watch the video, they will answer the essential question “Why didn’t the people of Sighet believe what Moshe the Beadle told them about the concentration camps, yet an entire population believed the Nazi propaganda?” The students will create three of their own questions relating to the video. However, I did give the option to create more general questions from the entire novel. I did this to differentiate the lesson. Most likely, not all students will operate on the same level.
Students will take their three questions and collaborate in small groups of three. They will discuss and process answers for all questions, eventually picking one. This one question will be the basis for a video that they will create, present, and publish. I assigned the creation of a video to the students because I wanted them to develop an intimate relationship to the story through their own meta-cognitive process. I hope to share the video with another classroom outside of South Carolina. This virtual activity would be a celebration.
This entire process will take more than a week. A few lessons on video editing and copyright law will be essential. An example of the assignment is below.
Reflection
This assignment incorporated the 4 Cs (critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication) of technology at the level of Redefinition in the SAM-R model. (Creating a video to answer questions redefines the use of technology in the classroom.) After the assignment was developed, I realized how the student's interaction with technology, which began with the previous Prezi assignment, was so complete. Even a student who is only minimally engaged in this task can benefit from the boost of neural activity which will naturally occur due to the richness of the assignment. Because the students are working collaboratively, they are exposed to the thought processes of their peers. This exposure is a mental exercise that helps develop critical thinking skills. How do you measure this growth? The growth is measured by the quality of the question. With this in mind, it will be important to retool this assignment with lessons that teach the student how to create and critique questions.
Whole-Class Yearlong Editing Practice
This exercise is a yearlong activity in which the students collect writing samples and display them on the Smart Board. Each available Friday, one student will present his or her samples. Students can display their samples and show corrections or invite other students to the board to make corrections. Students may use any technology that is compatible with the equipment in the classroom. For my example, I took screen shots of actual texts from my phone and copied them into a word document.
Reflection
Communication, fun, and practice are the key elements to the success of this assignment. Using everyday communication to demonstrate how to edit will invest the student in the process. Allowing the students to see my personnel communication creates an intimate connection between the student and teacher. This connection may motivate students to improve their writing skills. Students will see that the teacher is not perfect and not afraid to make mistakes. Sometimes, if you become the fool, others will feel more comfortable taking chances.
From Freshman to Senior: Four Years of Growth and Change
“You need not be sorry for her. She was one of the kind that likes to grow up. In the end she grew up of her own free will a day quicker than the other girls.”― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
The passage of time affects all of us throughout our lives. This project focuses on the change experienced by students as they find their way through the four years of high school. This undertaking attempts to
All students at Ashley Ridge High School are required to watch a PowerPoint presentation entitled High School 101. (Please see below for an example of a High School 101 presentation.) High School 101 provides essential information to all students at the beginning of the year. In order to enrich this important instruction, I have created an oral history project that intends to strengthen this instruction by creating relationships between freshman and seniors. The project heavily incorporates the English 1 Honors standards. This project begins during the first nine weeks and culminates right before Christmas break.
Each freshman enrolled in Honors English is assigned a senior who is vetted by English IV and V teachers via a questionnaire for his or her interviewee. Freshman will briefly meet their interviewees during Individual Learning Time (ILT) during the first week of September. [Note - ILT is a structured study hall.] Prior to this meeting, students are introduced to oral history and the interview process. After the interviewer and interviewee have met, in-depth instruction will take place. This instruction is enriched by meeting the interviewee beforehand.
Once the students have demonstrated mastery of the subject,each student will create a questionnaire for their interviewee. I have not decided whether I should assign the questions before or after they have received instruction about how to conduct an interview. I may talk to the students briefly about the interview process before assigning the questions. After the students conference in groups, I will provide more in-depth instruction about interviewing. This way the students will have experienced thinking about interviewing. (Part of the instruction involves watching videos of oral histories.) The questionnaires are delivered to the seniors once they have been graded and approved. A deadline is assigned to the seniors for their completion of the survey. The freshman will collect and review the questionnaires and interview times will be assigned.
In the interim, freshmen are instructed on how to and practice video interviewing techniques. A small studio will be created in the back of the classroom for after-school interviews. Approximately 30 one-hour interviews will take place during October and November. All students will transcribe five minutes of video. Students will edit their own videos during specified class time. Students will then have the option to enter their videos for consideration to be included in the High School 101 presentation for Ashley Ridge.
Once interviewing begins, the amount of classroom time dedicated to the oral history project will decrease. At least once a week, class will take place the computer lab. Students can also access all computer labs during ILT.
The culminating activity is a formal screening of the top videos during an evening presentation. All ARHS parents and faculty will be invited to what hopefully becomes a yearly tradition at ARHS. All oral histories are kept on file in the school library.
Reflection
This assignment was created in the spirit of the Oral History Project that Dr. Maxwell, Associate Professor of English from The Citadel, assigns to her undergraduate students. The reason I was able to create this assignment was largely due to the passion she demonstrated when explaining how important the project was to her. Her passion compelled me to respect this project. I was able to validate the idea that expressing passion to your students can motivate them to work beyond their potential. I was also able to validate the belief that passion in the classroom reinforces instruction. This is a meaningful assignment because it becomes part of the school's historical record. Collaboration is the primary focus of this work. Video redefines the learning environment. Students must think creatively and problem-solve to discover how to manage this project. Even though the students receive a great deal of direction, the teacher can not really control how the relationship between the freshman and senior unfolds.
What to do with a wiki: Grammar, Writing, and Flipping, of Course
Students will receive lessons prior to attempting wiki assignments. I will provide students with video examples. (I have created one video example on the wiki English I Honors.) Practicing small bits of grammar and writing every day helps the students retain information. Every Friday, we will review the grammar portion of the wiki. I am directing the students to write their sentences as you would tell a story around a campfire. This is a great team-building exercise. This platform also fosters motivation and friendly competition.
Serving as a repository for all writing endeavors, this space is the required place to post notes, reference material, drafts and final papers. I will eventually include rubrics for writing assignments and information on grading. In a way, this wiki is similar to the Makerspace referenced in Minds Online.
From a logistical perspective, the wiki is a fantastic way to organize student work. I will never have to worry about losing papers. For students that have limited access, they can use the library at their school or in their neighborhood. They will not have to worry about losing work, either. Eventually, I plan to link Google Drive to the wiki for the purposes of online quizzes.
Creating a wiki is easy and complex. Creating a blueprint for exactly what you want to accomplish is essential and time-consuming. Your wiki will never be complete. It is an animal that will evolve as you evolve and change to accommodate the kind of learners you encounter from year-to-year. The wiki should evolve as technology evolves. I am a proponent of the Flipped Classroom methodology. Using a wiki can give students unlimited access to all information before, during and after class. The classroom becomes a workshop where the teacher can actually spend more time assisting students then lecturing to them.
English 1 Honors
Reflection
This technology application is at the modification level. Initially, I thought that this activity was simply augmenting an activity that could be accomplished without technology. However, once I reviewed examples of modified instruction using technology, I realized that modification is the line that exists between substitution and augmentation. Because the students are creating a story with their combined complex sentences, students are both author and audience. This experience of writing has more dimension to it because students are responding to other students. If this activity were attempted without technology, it would not flow as well. Students also have more think-time when interacting with a wiki.
Literature Blog
I created a literature blog for my imaginary English 1 Honors students. We will read at least four large pieces of literature during the year. The purpose of the blog is as follows:
Students are required to post a response to a teacher created topic once a week. Students are encouraged to read all posts and use this knowledge to help create a fuller understanding of the texts. Throughout the year, each student creates their own original topic post for other students to respond to. Each student will do this at least once, depending upon the size of the class.
Creating a blog takes time. I attempted to create blogs on Edublogs and Weebly. Initially, I felt Edublogs had too many options and switched over to Weebly. I wasn’t satisfied with Weebly because it felt more like a commerce site than and educator’s blog. I switched back to Edublogs. My biggest concern with the blog is controlling content. On sites like Kidsblog, teachers seem to have more monitoring abilities. However, there is a forty-four-dollar yearly price tag. This really isn’t too pricey, especially when you are getting peace of mind.
Literature Blog
Reflection
I discovered the limitations of free applications when I revisited this blog to investigate how students could interact with the site. I am often distracted by dazzle. If I paid the low price of $7.95/month, I could upgrade this site to allow each student to have their own blog. In the near future, I will investigate Google's free blog platform. Allowing the students to have their own blog is allowing them to partially direct their own learning experience. Blogging could be way for students to collaborate with others from across the country. This experience could redefine they way students interact with literature. However, it is important to consider the SAM-R model when using digital tools. A blog has the potential to be static and flat. I would caution anyone incorporating new technology into their classrooms to deeply ponder how the technology will be used.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy
Students’ Playful Tactics: Teaching at the Intersection of New Media and the Official Curriculum
March 2015
by Julie RustSummary
Navigating the adolescent identity is a necessary focus when teaching high school English. Coupling identity with social media in the classroom is a tremendous responsibility. Julia Rust, Associate Professor of Education at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, writes a compelling article about her study with students using social media in an American Literature I and an English 10 Honors Class. She collaborated with a teacher from another school using Ning, an online social networking platform. Rust performed an analysis of 22 students during and after spending one semester co-teaching and interacting with students using the Ning platform.
Rust concluded that the traditional roles of teachers being strategical and students being tactical should be reexamined. Teachers should not jump to conclusions about student commentary. If a student refers to Blanche DuBois as being “thirsty,” we do need to realize that this may be an accurate description. As teachers, we need to direct student communication with questions and professional and friendly observations concerning their contributions. This is an excellent opportunity to teach digital responsibility and grow 21st century learners while maintaining the curriculum.
Contribution
Digital technology is not going anywhere. The social education of our students is extremely important. The English
Editing and Revising Student Essay Using Voice Recording Technology
The idea of grading more than 100 student essays is daunting. At this very moment in time, there is no way to get around the move toward large classroom sizes. Many high school teachers have expressed concern that they were not able to offer their students motivation, because they themselves were overwhelmed by the grading task. As a result, many students are not experiencing the necessary conditions to help them build confidence as writers. Over a year ago, I was motivated by a teacher who was frustrated with this very topic. I found an article called "When I Stopped Writing on Their Papers: Accommodating the Needs of Student Writers with Audio Comments" by Sara Bauer. She stumbled upon the idea of recording comments on her phone because she was feeling cozy on her couch while reading student essays. She discovered a way to recreate the intimate setting of face-to-face conferencing, a difficult scheduling task with her current student load. The students’ reactions were encouraging because each student felt an intimate connection with their teacher by hearing her voice. She was talking to them.
I experimented with many ways to comment on student papers. Google Chrome actually allows you to record your comments, but they are typed into the paper. I can see how this would be a great time-saver. I think if you are focusing on specific grammatical skills, seeing the comments in writing versus recording would make more sense. Having the ability to record your comments, instead of writing or typing them would save time. If you are focusing on revising, I believe the audio comments may be a better choice. Audio comments can be recorded on your phone and emailed to your students. Each audio comment is numbered. The corresponding number is written on the paper. The student can listen to comments from their phone or computer as they reread their paper.
Since the Bauer article was written, the company Kaizena has formed. Kaizena, according to the company’s website, Kaizena means “a Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement.” Students papers are embedded with video or voice recordings that appear on the side of the page. Here is an example of what a page may look like. Note: For my study, I signed-up for a trial version of the software. At the time of editing this page, the trial expired and my personal example cannot be accessed.
Kaizena improved upon Bauer's use of voice-recorded comments because all the elements of the process are housed in one place. You can also sync Kaizena with Google Classroom. No one has to leave the sandbox to play. Large numbers of students can experience a virtual writing conference with the teacher. Students can access the material from their home, phone, classroom, or library. The disadvantages of the program are access, power outages, and loss of connection. I would always have a backup plan.
https://kaizena.com/group/SygXHxBU-l/conversation/B1bXBeBLZx/file/B189lrL-e
Reflection
I adore this technology. Nothing can replace the intimacy of the human voice. This application redefines how technology is implemented in the classroom by allowing a teacher to talk to each student. Interestingly, technology in this case humanizes the classroom experience. Kaizena is an example of how technology can evolve to digitally recreate a human experience.
My wiki assignment is far from completion or perfection. I chose this assignment because, quite honestly, it was my lowest grade. I corrected the technical problems associated with not being able to access my link. The devil is in the details. When dealing with technology, access is paramount. Your beautiful flower does not exist if no one can see it. (Or perhaps, your flower is not useful if no one can find it…anyone can imagine.)
What I discovered by slightly retooling my wiki project, is that the wiki is much more comprehensive and useful than what I was using it for. Initially, I thought I would use it only for grammar. I threw in a little bit about writing, but I didn't stop to carefully consider how the wiki could house absolutely everything I may need for an English class. As I worked on my wiki, I kept thinking of other additions I could incorporate. Honestly, building a useful wiki will take months.
I cannot emphasize enough how the wiki is one of the easiest places to begin flipping a classroom. Flipped classrooms are the future of education. We are too connected to each other digitally to ignore the advantages of a flipped classroom. Using a wiki to get your little toes flipped, is a great way to ease yourself into the process.